Short Answer Questions

2. Since the incident, experts have determined that swimmers who swim with dogs are at greater risk from shark attack. Why?

3. Bruder's injuries and death were recorded and attributed to what?

4. The damage to Bruder was so severe, a _________________ injury, that even with modern medical procedures, he could not have been saved.

5. People on the beach noticed what about Charles?

Short Essay Questions

1. When word spread about the attack on Charles Vansant, what did many hotel guests think?

2. How does the story begin? How is this chapter important?

3. What might have drawn the shark to the shore? How is this a plausible explanation?

4. When did information regarding Charles' death finally appear in the news? Describe this information. Why might it the information have appeared this way?

5. Why did Charles Bruder decide to go for a swim?

6. Why might the hotel have kept Charles' death a secret?

7. What might have drawn the shark to Charles Vansant?

8. How did shark attacks become more possible in the summer of 1916?

9. What about swimmers specifically at this time helped sharks to believe humans were actually sea creatures? Would this be a problem today? Why or why not?

10. What happened to Gertrude Schuyler? Why did this happen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The book Jaws was based on the attacks of 1916.

Part 1) How is this fact important to this book? How popular must this book have been? Why? How did this then lead to the creation of the movie Jaws? What might have been the reaction to the movie? Might reactions have been similar to those at the time of the attacks in 1916? Why or why not?

Part 2) How does the author of the book, Jaws, react to the fear and hatred that is felt towards Great White sharks? Why does he react this way? Are you surprised by his reaction? Why or why not?

Part 3) Do you agree with the author of Jaws regarding the danger that Great Whites may or may not pose? Why or why not? Can Great White sharks and man co-exist peacefully? If so, how? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

Several hunts took place to find the man-eating shark.

Part 1) Describe one of these hunts. Who organized this hunt? How was this hunt operated? What information about sharks and other creatures did the men have when organizing this hunt?

Part 2) How successful was this hunt? Explain. How could this hunt have been more efficient and organized?

Part 3) Compare the hunts to each other. Which hunt was more successful? Why was it more successful?

Essay Topic 3

A Great White shark's appetite is difficult to sate.

Part 1) How is this statement supported by information in this book? Why is its appetite so difficult to sate? How does this guide the shark in its daily life? How might this have played a role in its attacks on humans?

Part 2) Besides its hunger, what else guided the shark towards the shore and humans? Could this have been prevented? If so, how? If not, why not? Are attacks by Great Whites a large threat? Why or why not? What can humans do to protect themselves?

Part 3) Can Great Whites and humans coexist? If so, how? If not, why not? What can be done by mankind to improve the Great White's living conditions so that it will not come close to shore and attack humans?